This invention relates to self-supporting walking devices for respiratory and/or cardiac invalids or other such patients, and, more particularly, to a collapsible oxygen walker.
Typical oxygen walkers have rectangular frames with wheels on the bottom and are open at one side to allow a patient to stand within or partially within the walker. Using the horizontal support pad of the walker as an armrest, the patient can support himself while he moves about. In hospitals it is also often required that oxygen bottles and intravenous equipment be used by the respiratory and cardiac patient during the ambulatory phase of rehabilitation.
Numerous devices have been developed to allow various types of transport by the patient alone. A variety of devices are concerned with combinations of walkers and chairs, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,733,754, 2,759,525, 2,866,495, and 4,046,374. Others deal with adjustable legs for walkers, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,617. All walkers and patient transporters indicate the need for rigidity and solid support. Further walkers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,517,666, 3,354,893, 3,698,810 and 4,045,044.
Although presently available walkers have demonstrated their usefulness, problems remain. Much of the difficulty arises from their inability to provide oxygen capabilities and/or I.V. therapy to the ambulatory patient during rehabilitation.